How are my cylinders looking?

Chieber · Post by **Chieber** » 23 Dec 2025, 18:16

Bought a budget boroscope to check the cylinders out.
The car burns oil, especially at stop lights and long idle.

Compression is evenly across all cylinders. I don’t have a compressor to perform a leak test.
Any guesses on the pictures if a valve stem seal job is enough?

The car has 450k km currently. I drive less that 7500km a year.

Post by **Sveedy** » 23 Dec 2025, 18:38

Those cylinders look beautiful. New seals and you should be good to go.

Post by **volvolugnut** » 23 Dec 2025, 19:10

Yes, good cross hatch honing pattern.
volvolugnut

Post by **scot850** » 24 Dec 2025, 08:29

Agree as well. As already mentioned, new valve stem seals are needed.

Neil.

Chieber · Post by **Chieber** » 26 Dec 2025, 10:59

Thanks all!

I’ll put the valve stem seals Ann’s tools on my to buy list for the next round of repairs. Unless it doesn’t pass emission tests that’s soon to be due.

Post by **abscate** » 27 Dec 2025, 02:24

Buy the stem seals in the kit, not by the piece. Since you live in the Health Care side of the Atlantic , you can get them from Skandix.de pretty cheaply

The kit has both the seals and the little protective nipples if you choose the sadistic path of doing the stem seals with the head on

giovannibianco · Post by **giovannibianco** » 28 Dec 2025, 11:08

Hello,

Hey can you point me towards the model of boroscope that you bought? I'm intrigued as it seems you can "look back up to the spark plug hole that the wire has come through... Did you get it from Aliexpress?

Cheers, John.

Chieber · Post by **Chieber** » 28 Dec 2025, 17:32

giovannibianco wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025, 11:08 Hello,

Hey can you point me towards the model of boroscope that you bought? I'm intrigued as it seems you can "look back up to the spark plug hole that the wire has come through... Did you get it from Aliexpress?

Cheers, John.

I bought the cheapest one since I don’t use it daily. My only requirement was that it does have a articulating camera to swivel up and down.

The resolution and lighting is so-so if you compare it to what yt’ers use. But those boroscopes are like ten times more expensive.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_Ew1JzLm

Post by **wizechatmgr** » 02 Jan 2026, 10:55

According to AliExpress - not able to be shipped to USA for those wondering... Almost like they are tired of the tariff gotchas.

Post by **ZionXIX** » 02 Jan 2026, 12:15

I saw this one on Amazon for $79

https://amzn.to/4jq7Wb1